Optimizing communication for mobile and embedded devices

Abstract

This disclosure relates generally to systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer readable media for optimizing communications for mobile and embedded devices. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this disclosure relates to systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer readable media to permit mobile devices, e.g., smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks, and the like, which may frequently suffer from intermittent Internet connectivity, e.g., as their owners move around between access points, to estimate the duration of the remaining “window of opportunity” for data transmissions and then select and/or tailor data transmissions to be able to complete as much of the desired data transfer as possible before the expected connectivity loss. In some embodiments, signal strength over time may be analyzed and correlated with a history of connectivity for a particular user and/or device in order to improve the estimation of the remaining “window of opportunity” for data transmission.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processing units to:
 receive a measurement of signal strength and a time associated with the measurement of signal strength; 
 record the measurement of signal strength and the time associated with the measurement of signal strength in a connectivity history store; 
 compute an instantaneous rate of signal strength loss; 
 determine that the instantaneous rate of signal strength loss is not within an allowed margin; 
 compute an expected remaining time window for data transmission; 
 select data for transmission, wherein the selected data comprises data packets having sizes configured to be transmitted within the expected remaining time window; and 
 direct the selected data to be sent to a desired recipient. 
 
     
     
       2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions to determine that the instantaneous rate of signal strength loss is not within the allowed margin further comprise instructions to compare the instantaneous rate of signal strength loss to a threshold rate of signal strength loss. 
     
     
       3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions to select the data for transmission further comprise instructions to select the data packets based, at least, on a priority level of the data packets. 
     
     
       4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions to compute the expected remaining time window for data transmission further comprise instructions to utilize relevant information from the connectivity history store. 
     
     
       5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 4 , wherein the connectivity history store contains information about multiple devices. 
     
     
       6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the connectivity history store contains information about multiple access points. 
     
     
       7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the information about the multiple devices is correlated with the information about multiple access points. 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processing units to:
 receive a measurement of signal strength and a time associated with the measurement of signal strength; 
 record the measurement of signal strength and the time associated with the measurement of signal strength in a connectivity history store; 
 compute an average rate of signal strength loss; 
 correlate the computed average rate of signal strength loss with rates of signal strength loss stored in the connectivity history store; 
 determine that the average rate of signal strength loss is consistent with the correlated rates of signal strength loss stored in the connectivity history store; 
 determine that the average rate of signal strength loss is not within an allowed margin; 
 compute an expected remaining time window for data transmission; 
 select data for transmission, wherein the selected data comprises data packets selected based, at least in part, on a priority level of the data packets; and 
 direct the selected data to be sent to a desired recipient. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the selected data further comprises the data packets having sizes configured to be transmitted within the expected remaining time window. 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions to compute the expected remaining time window for data transmission further comprise instructions to utilize relevant information from the connectivity history store. 
     
     
       11. A method of optimizing communications transmissions, comprising:
 receiving a measurement of signal strength and a time associated with the measurement of signal strength; 
 computing an instantaneous rate of signal strength loss; 
 determining that the instantaneous rate of signal strength loss is not within an allowed margin; 
 computing an expected remaining time window for data transmission; 
 selecting data for transmission, wherein the selected data comprises data packets select bases, at least in part, on a priority level of the data packets; and 
 directing the selected data to be sent to a desired recipient. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the act of determining that the instantaneous rate of signal strength loss is not within the allowed margin further comprises comparing the instantaneous rate of signal strength loss to a threshold rate of signal strength loss. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the act of selecting the data for transmission further comprises selecting the data packets having sizes configured to be transmitted within the expected remaining time window. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the act of computing the expected remaining time window for data transmission further comprise utilizing relevant information from a connectivity history store. 
     
     
       15. A method of optimizing communications transmissions, comprising:
 receiving a measurement of signal strength and a time associated with the measurement of signal strength; 
 recording the measurement of signal strength and the time associated with the measurement of signal strength in a connectivity history store; 
 computing an average rate of signal strength loss; 
 correlating the computed average rate of signal strength loss with rates of signal strength loss stored in the connectivity history store; 
 determining that the average rate of signal strength loss is consistent with the correlated rates of signal strength loss stored in the connectivity history store; 
 determining that the average rate of signal strength loss is not within an allowed margin; 
 computing an expected remaining time window for data transmission; 
 selecting data for transmission, wherein the selected data comprises data packets having sizes configured to be transmitted within the expected remaining time window; and 
 directing the selected data to be sent to a desired recipient. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the act of selecting the data for transmission further comprises selecting the data packets based, at least, on a priority level of the data packets. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the act of computing the expected remaining time window for data transmission further comprises utilizing relevant information from the connectivity history store. 
     
     
       18. A system configured to optimize communications transmissions, comprising:
 a memory; and 
 one or more processing units, communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the memory stores instructions to configure the one or more processing units to:
 receive a measurement of signal strength and a time associated with the measurement of signal strength; 
 record the measurement of signal strength and the time associated with the measurement of signal strength in a connectivity history store; 
 compute an average rate of signal strength loss; 
 determine that the average rate of signal strength loss is not within an allowed margin; 
 compute an expected remaining time window for data transmission; 
 select data for transmission, wherein the selected data comprises data packets having sizes configured to be transmitted within the expected remaining time window; and 
 direct the selected data to be sent to a desired recipient. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions to select the data for transmission further comprise instructions to select the data packets based, at least, on a priority level of the data packets. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions to compute the expected remaining time window for data transmission further comprise instructions to utilize relevant information from the connectivity history store.